In today's fast-paced world, having the best morning routine can set the tone for a day filled with purpose and positivity.
A great morning routine starts the night before by picking out your outfit and writing down 3 things that you’d like to achieve the next day. You can still have a productive morning without doing these activities, but they can remove the extra stress!
Depending on what’s going on in your life and the commitments you may have, giving yourself 20 minutes first thing in the morning before your day starts and before you interact with anyone is enough to prepare you for a productive, focused, and happier day.
Before we get started on your new morning routine - there are a few DONT’S
⚠️DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON
⚠️DO NOT GO ON YOUR PHONE CHECKING EMAILS/SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC
Now that’s out the way, lets get started on the 5 morning tips for a brighter day...
1. Drink a glass of water with or without lemon
Keep a bottle, glass, or fancy carafe on your bedside to stay hydrated after a good night's rest. Benefits of drinking water on an empty stomach include:
🍋 Positive effects for flushing toxins from the body
🍋 Increasing energy and immunity
🍋 Reducing weight and increasing metabolism
🍋 Preventing headaches and kidney stones
It also aids in the cleansing of bowels and improves hair and skin health.
Why not add some extras, such as fresh mint leaves, rosemary, or even some chopped strawberries for a fruity morning kickstart?
2. Play your favourite song (preferably instrumental), sit back and close your eyes. That’s it!
If you're new to meditation, listening to a calming instrumental or classical playlist can be a great introduction. Spending a few minutes focusing on your breathing every morning can bring both emotional and physical benefits including:
🎶 Reducing stress and anxiety
🎶 Helping you to focus on the present
🎶 Reducing negative emotions
🎶 Can lower cortisol levels (a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, AKA the stress hormone)
🎶 Can help lower blood pressure
🎶 Can help improve help improve focus by increasing concentration & attention span
3. Write down 3 things you are truly grateful for
How often do we take a step back from our normal routine to appreciate the things around us?
It can be as profound as the love of our family & friends, having a stable job, and a roof over our heads... or the seemingly smaller things such as having access to watching your favourite TV shows, or having enough disposable income to treat yourself to a new book.
Gratitude is known to be linked with greater happiness by helping us deal with adversity, reducing the risk of depression, and it can help improve mood and immunity.
4. Make your bed
Although this may seem insignificant, making your bed can set the tone for the rest of your day. Start your day with a win and you'll be winning the rest of the day too! You'll also be looking out for future you - coming home to a tidy bed in the evening is a huge mood booster.
5. Take a cold shower (3-4 mins is long enough for optimal gains)
Before you've finished your shower, invigorate your morning with a blast of cold water for 3-4 minutes.
Cold showers can:
🚿 Help start your metabolism
🚿 Improve circulation
🚿 Increase your alertness and energy for the day ahead
🚿 It can help collagen production
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That’s it! Just 20 minutes each morning can set you up for GREATNESS - don't forget to keep it consistent to see the biggest gains.
Tag us @wearephkind on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook with your favourite tips for a brighter day!
Banner image by Bruce Mars.
Additional photography: Shakti Rajpurohit, Gabrielle Henderson, Annie Spratt, Francesco Ungaro.
